33/12. Chapter:
Obeying Rulers even if they withhold the people's rights
Sahih Muslim : 1846a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1846a
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَائِلٍ الْحَضْرَمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَأَلَ سَلَمَةُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْجُعْفِيُّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ قَامَتْ عَلَيْنَا أُمَرَاءُ يَسْأَلُونَا حَقَّهُمْ وَيَمْنَعُونَا حَقَّنَا فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فِي الثَّانِيَةِ أَوْ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ فَجَذَبَهُ الأَشْعَثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ وَقَالَ " اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا حُمِّلُوا وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْتُمْ " .
It has been narrated on the authority of Alqama b. Wai'l al-Hadrami who learnt the tradition from his father. The latter said: Salama b. Yazid al-ju'afi asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): Prophet of Allah, what do you think if we have rulers who rule over us and demand that we discharge our obligations towards them, but they (themselves) do not discharge their own responsibilities towards us? What do you order us to do? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) avoided giving any answer. Salama asked him again. He (again) avoided giving any answer. Then he asked again-it was the second time or the third time-when Ash'ath b. Qais (finding that the Prophet was unnecessarily being pressed for answer) pulled him aside and said: Listen to them and obey them, for on them shall he their burden and on you shall be your burden.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1846aIn-book reference : Book 33, Hadith 79USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 20, Hadith 4551
